Tray-discharging mechanism



Aug. 16, 1927. 1,639,061

\ s. scHlFF TRAY DI SCHARGING MECHANIS M original Filed Jan. 21.617921 2 sheets-s116611 3mm/Moz l 62 O .56 3 4 SMM@ L A w F1 N A 1g Aug. 16, 1927.

s. SCHIFF TRAY DISCHARGING MECHANISM original Filed Jan. 21,. 1921 zsneers-sneez Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

UNITED `Vsra sIeMUND SCHIFF, or CINCINNATI, oHIdnssIGNonTo Trina. H. DAY CQMPANY, F

rlhis application is pending application,

' iiled January 21,y 1921.-

The invention relates rginal application filed January 21 TES PATENT OFFICE.

CINCINNATI, CHIC, A ConronariICN kor onIo. c Y

TnnYLDisCr/Ianeine MECHANISM.

, 192i, seriai No. 439,015, Patent 110.1575282, dated Maren 2, 1926.

mviaeafand this applicativa ined November'iz, i925.y -se'riai No. 68,732.

a division of co- Serial No.y 439,015,

to improvements in discharge devicesv for' automatic proofers.l

. to av minimumT Another. object of my yvide a device that4 is simple of'construction.y

An object ot' my an automatic discharge device for proofersA invention is to provide ythat will discharge the several lum s of dough in such a `pos`ition as to preclu e the Vsaid lumps from Iuniting to form x Another object'of Vmy invention is to pro-y vide Va device of the classre'ferred to in which the possibility of contacting one another and large massesof dough.'

breaking the skin ofv the individual lumps iofdough would be reduced invention lis to proand econiiiical of operation to perform the above objects.

These and other objects are attained by the ymeans described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sec tion of a proofer having embodied therein a `device of my invention'.

Fia.

a tray forifning a detail san enlarged is an enlarged perspective view rof of -my invention.

diagrammaticy rView forming a detail of my invention.

Fig. el is an enlarged the parts yshown in Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is an enlarged front elevation of sectional view of partei the discharge mechanism forming a detail Vof my invent-ion. Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on line 6-6 of Fig.'2., Fig. 7 'is a sectional view taken online 7-7 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a Jfront pla having embodied therein or' this invention.

The discharge mechanism indicated generally as 10, in operative c filed The Fig. 1

ing machine, pending application, January March 2, 1926 and discharging n view of vthe proc-fer vthe improvements of my device, is shown in Fig. 1 oniiection with a dough proofsuch as is set forth in vmy co serial` No. 439,015,

of lwhich this tively connected with a dough proofing extends partly into any suitablev device that is tothen wor series of wheel 23 mounted on shaft 21. The

21, 1921, Patent `Numbering 12. mechanism 10, shown'in l 11. The proofer compris-el which are disposed a series of trays that Vendless chains that are moved through such dough during the period.' The discharge device 10 Within and' partly without is ladapted to empty the trays casing, carrying the the casing,- and "and to carrythe individuallumps of'dough 1 out of the casing 1,2, and to'dischargc ndivfidual lumps of dough-separately andsingly upon the dough, wl'iich ordinarily isv a melder. 'The proofercasing 12 is preferably Lof rectangular construction and has .side 'frames 13. yThe frames areormed primarilyl o f angle irons and channel irons and are secured uponone another by means of angleand channel irons 14. extending between the fifa-mes. angle irons and 'channel by any suitable material such as wood so Aas to provide-the enclosed chamber 15.v A doors lare mounted upon the sides and' ends of the casing. These doors have glass panels 17 mounted in them. The chamber formed 'interiorly of the casingv comprises a proofing chamber 15. .f

' Suitabledriving means, such as a motor -18 and speed change mechanism such as 19 be mounted on the top 2() of the casing,l

lmay or any other means of power may be employed to impartrotary motion to the transverse yshaft 21 mounted upon the top of the casing. VI have illustrated a motor and change speed device mounted on the casing adapted to impart motion to the shaft 21 by means of a chain22 engaging the. sprocket shaft 21 is adapted to drive by' means off bevel gears 24 and 25, the vertical shaft 26 mounted upon the side of the casing and transmitting power to the driving sprocket 27. The

" driving sprocketl 27 drives the endless chain v28y which inturn drives a chain disposedl at the other sidev of the'proofing chamber 15 and between which chains the trays 50 are disposed. yChain 28 passes around a series of sprocket wheels 29 disposed interiorly of the casing and mounted upon individual stud shafts 30 mounted on the sides 13 of the cas'- traiisverse shafts `that `otherwise extend through the casing yand require considerable y The spaces between the f irons are enclosedV This construction eliminates the enlargement of 'the sprocket wheels to permit free movement of the trays about such transverse shafts. The sprocket wheels are Vmounted upon the sides of the casing in staggered relation, the wheels on one side of the casing being directly opposed to those on the opposite side of the casing. A series of chain supports 3l extend between the sprocketwheels and support chains in a horizontal plane as they pass from one 'sprocket wheel to the sprocket wheel next above. rlliese chain supports also supportthe trays 50, because the trays are mounted between the chains 28, one of which' is disposed upon each side of the casing.

rlhe trays 50 comprise end members 32 between which are secured the cross bars 33. A series of lugs 34, 35, 36 and 37 extend ontwardly from the end members 32. There are three cross members 33, one at each side of the top of the trays and one at the bott-om ofV the tray. The ends of the cross members are inserted inthe luOs 34 36 and 37 conse uently the lugs 34 and 36 are disposed at opposite sides of the top of the endY members and lug 37A atthe bottom of the end member.`

The Vsupport lug 35 is formed midway between the two uppermost lugs 34 and 36 and has a central bore 38 into which extend pins 39, projecting from the chains 28. The lug 35 and the lower most lug V37 are normallyV in vertical alignment. Thelugs34, 35 and 33y are normally in horizontal alignment. The bottom 40 of the-tray is preferably made of canvas and yhas a loop 41 formed along its l side edges through which loops the cross bars 33 extend. A: series of partitions 42 divide the tray into a series of compartments 43. These partitions are preferably wedged shape, being narrower at their tops and wider at their bottoms. The upper andoutei' ends of the partitions engage below the upper most cross bars 33, and span the canvas .along their lower and rounded edge 44.

Suitable means, such as tacks 45, are employed to secure the partitions in place and co-operate with the tension due to the' seating of the partitions as described, in positioning the partitions at determined places throughout the lengthof the tray.

Thetrays are carried by the chains 28 in spaced relation and pass from the frontl "after passing over the driving sprocket 27 j descend through a guide 8O to and about a sprocket 8l. The guide 80 comprises two parallel verticalrods 82 and 83 having outwardly projecting arms at their upper ends.

tray has reached the uppermost supporting member 47, it moves forward toward the discharffe mechanism Vl0. ln order to assure the tray assuming a normal position when it reaches the discharge mechanism,` a leveling bar 48 is mounted on the side of the casing immediately above the uppermost section of the chain 28. This bar extends toward'the center. of the casingto such Vextent that it will project over the vlugs `on the trays and assures the lugs 34, 35 and 36 being in horizontal alignment as the trayY moves over the `uppermost support 47. Y n f vThe discharge ldevice `10 embraces la cam 49 adapted to tilt and invert the trays 50 so that the dough will pass frointhe tray to a belt that carries the dough outof the casing. The cam 49 has an inclined and outwardly projecting tiltinglug l51 thatk is engaged bythe lowermost lugl 37 'of the tray as the tray moves forward in thecasin As t-he tray moves forward, the lug'37 is raised, whereupon the lug I34 is lowered and the lug 3G elevated. On the forward end of the cam is formed an outwardly. projecting invertinglug 52that is curved upward and toward the front of the casing. 'This lug is engaged by the lug Immediately upon engagement of the lug .34 and the inverting lug 52, the lug 37 upon the bottom of the tray reaches the upper end of the tilting lug 51 whereby the movement of the tray is controlled by the contact of they lug 34 upon the inverting lug 52 and by the movement of the chain 28. As vthe chain 28 moves forward, the lug-34 remains practically stationary in relation to the inverting lug 52, and therefore the forwardkmove- Y ment of the chain tending to turnthe tray about the point of contact between lugs 34 and 5l causes the tray to be inverted. VAs the tray moves forward, the lug 34 continues to ride on the lug 52 luntil the Contact is broken between these two lugs whereupon the tray assumes its normal position. lWhen the tray is inverted, it discharges the individual lumps of dough in the several tray compartments, into a holder 53 having a lll() series of individual discharge compartments Y 54. These discharge compartments are formed adjacent one another and over a discharge belt 55. The rear wall of the holder 53 is inclined upwardly and at its upper end it is mounted upon a sleeve 56 pivotally mounted upon a transverseshaft 57. `The 56 into pinched by Y compartments.

Vwith thenotch 65 in the cam'64, Athe weight engaged by thev roller 63.

1 about a sprocket a new and'no've'l:manner.-

Vtoo little clearance-is given,

the relative movements of` the sleeve 56 has a link 58 extending therefrom and pivotally attached to the link is a reciprocating roller arm 5,9, one endl of which -is pivotally supported in a slotted bracket 60 mounted upon the casing 12 in any suitable manner. A pink 61 extending from arm 59 extends through the slot in the bracket 60 and has mounted upon it a collar -62 that engages 60. A roller 63 is mounted on the roller arm 59 and this roller engages cam 64 mounted uponthe shaft 57. 65 formed in its outer edge, which cam is A'llie shat 57 is means of a chain 66 67 mounted on shaft 21 and a sprocket 68 mounted on the shaft 57. In the normal or elevated position of the holder, the dough discharged into the discharge compartment isiretained in such Compartment. VThe discharge of the dough from the tray compartments is driven by VAs the trayy 50 moves beyond the thesecond'posit'ion of the tray, as shownvin move along the bottom ot the: tray compartments and are moved onto'the sleeve 56. At the time that the dough is moved onA to the sleeve 56, the holderjand therefore the discharge compartments are loweredl and are in their discharging positions. As the sleeve 56 turns, because of the v holder 53 being raised by the action of the cam 64 and roller 6.3, the cross bar 33 extendir'igv between the lugs 34 on the tray 5() ismoved Yforward and pushes the lumps of dough off of the sleeve the discharge compartments. The bar v33and the sleep? clearance between cross 56 must be such that-this action results.

tray and sleeve and the skin of. theflump is broken, and some of the dough will stick to the canvas on the sleeve. clearance is allowed, the dough willr be moved backwardbelow the cross bar 33Y as the sleeve is rotated toraise the'discharge lVhen the roller 63 registers of the Adough and the` weight of the holder causes the roller to enter the notch 65 where-k by the sleeve 56, shown in Fig. 3, vwill move in a counterclockwise direction whereupon bythe tilting ofthe holder, the dou h is discharged `upon the belt 55. To s lift `primarily discharge of the dough from the compartments 54, yan inclinedV plate 69 is mounted adjacent the forwardend or `mouth ot the compartments, the lower edge of the plat-e terminating inwardly adjacent the bottom of the mouth of the compartments 54. A suitable covering 70, preferably canvas, isplaced over the inner surface of the compartments and extends about the sleeve 56. The movement "of the trays, theho'lder the walls of the slot in the bracket-y The' cam 64 has a notch extending accomplished in Fig. 3, the lumps of dough the dough is' 1f too much Y l Lumps of dough 0i the lu 53 and the discharge belt .55 bear. such relation that the compartments will be emptied j any time theta tray has discharged its dough that has been discharged upon the belt 55 has been carried from below the compartments by the time the compartments are againy discharged. Thebelt 55 is moved by means of rollers 71 mounted upon shafts 72, supported between 'brackets mounted on the opposite sides Vot the casing 12. One of the shafts 72 may be driven from the shaft 21 by any suitable means. f

The discharge-belt 55 overlaps and discharges onto a.' separator or spacer belt 84.

The 'separator or spacer belt 84 extends about pulleys and 86. ,The driving pulley 85 is mounted on a shaft 87 and may be 'driven by any suitable means while the pulon shaft 88. The shaft ley 86is mounted 88 'isf held in position by means of a bracket 89 mounted on support 90 having the block 91y mounted thereon and through which block extends an adjustable screw 92. justable screw 92,.is`ada'pted to engage the bracket 93, supporting the shaft 87, Whereby the'rspacer' belt 84 maybe tensioned. The support 9() is held in adjusted position and -a'udjlasted at various angles to the casing 12v by means of a yoke 94 which is pivctally attached to the support and Vhas extending therefrom a rod 95-the upper end of which is screw threaded and has mounted upon it an adjustable nut 96. The threaded end of the rod' 95 extends through a slotted'bracket 97 mounted on the casing 12 and the nut 96 serves as an abutment engaging 'the bracket 97 and determining the position of the support 90 and consequently that of the belt 84. It should be'noted that the spacer belt 84 is moved fasterfthan the bett 55 so that successive lumps of dough are not deposited upon one another.

'The operation of my device is as' follows :Y

suitable means, into the compartments 43 of the tray 50. The tray 50'is hingedly mounted on the chains 28 andare moved along the 'lowermost portion of the proofing chamber` 13. alongvthe supports 31 during which time the dough is undergoing the proofing process. As the tray is moved level of the chains 28, they approach the bar 48fwhich projects outward over the lugs yment as the traysv move toward rthe discharge mechanism 10. The lug 37 upon the tray 'f' abuts the lug 51 on the cam 49 therebyy raising the lug 37 and causing the lug 34 to engage the lug 52 on the camv 49. This'contact s 34y and 52ucauses` the inverted 7 3 Vare disposed, by any- The trays are then moved toward the `highest tray to be ry the'continued movement of vthe The adlll() .for receiving chains QS, Y 'l ereupon the dough is discharged from the trays into the Compartments as previously explained. Immediately after the discharge of the dough into the compartments 5e, the dough is discharged from the compartments dupon the belt 51 bythe registration of the roller 63 with the notch G5 and the consequent dropping of the holder. rlhe plate 69 prevents premature discharge of the dough from the holder, should any of the dough in the tray compartments discharge more quickly than )ther balls of dough in other tray compart` ments. rlhe tray then moves to a position a 1 ew charge of dough. After the dough has been discharged upon the belt V55, it is carried out of the prooling chamber by means Vof the belt and may be deposited upon another belt. The belt 55 is actuated at such rate of speed belts of dough have just passed from beneath the holder when the holder again dis-V charges.

All of the mechanisms are operated froml the shaft 2l, therefore when the various parts of the maehinehave been adjusted to their arooer Cdoaeratino relation the* will` L l p :n n .L' retain such co-operating relation at all times.

The shaft 2l may have power transmitted toit from any suitable source, the speed of the shaft 2l may be so regulated or modihed to give the desired period of proofing to the dough.

lVha-t l claim is: l. A tra* for use and compr ing end members. cross bars joining the end members, a-flexible bottom mounted upon the cross bars, and spaced partitions 'disposed intermediate the end,

iiieinbeis of the tray and supported between tie cross bars and spanning the flexible material and forming a plurality of distinct compartments between the end members.

`2. A'tray for use in a proofingdevice and comprising end members en each end member a .seriesnof lugs in horizontal alignment and a series of lu@ in vertical alignment, one lug being common to both series and havinga central bore adapted to seat a tray supporting` pin.

3. A tray for use in a proofing devicel and compris iq' end members, on each end member a series of lugs in horizontal alignment, and a series of lugs in vertical alignment, one lug being common to both series, such common lu, liavia'v a bore therein adapted to seat tray supporting pin. cross bars joining` the end members,r a flexible bottom mounted on the cross bars.r and partitions supported between the cross bars and spanning the flexible bottom.

ll. ln a proofing; device having automatic loading and discharging mechanisms the combination of endless che` hat thevlast of theV in a proofing device' 'forwardly into the hold-er Vmovement of the tray. and means` to lower is'mounted upon Y rvopposite sides of the proofer means to move the travs through the proof-` er. of any automatic discharge device comprising aV holder, a series of discharge compartments in the holder` means to. discharge one tray compartment into oney of each of the discharge compaitments.v adischarge beltv below the holder, a .separator belt overl-iiii-igV by the discharge belt, and means-tolsiiiiultaneously discharge all of the discharge compartments. Y 'y Y 6. In a proofer the combination with trays. lugs on the trays.. and means to more the trays through the proofer,- of an automatic discharge device comprising an os-V cillating., holder mounted vin the proofer adapted in its normal position to retain lumps of dough, a discharge belt below the holder, lugs mounted on the casing adapted to engage the lugs on the tray and to invert the trays over thev holder, and means to 'ocillate the holder whereby thefholder vwill discharge upon the discharge belt. A

, 7. In aproofer f the combination with trays, lugs on the trays and means to move the trays through the proofer. Aof an automatic discharge device comprising a disl-y charge belt,.a transverse shaft, avsleeve .mounted revolubly upon the transverse shaft. a holder mounted upon the sleeve, and overhanejng'the. discharge belt, and adapted in its normal position tov retain lumps of dough. a tiltingV lug mounted on the easingadapted to engage a lug on a tray and tilt the tray toward the transverse shaft,

an inverting lugVr mounted Von Vthe casing adapted to engage a lug on, the tray and to invert the trav as it passeszover the sleeve whereby the contents of the travis deposited upon the top of the sleeve andis then pushed by the forward the holder when the dough has entered thereinto, Awhereby the holder discharges upon the discharge belt; A'

8. In a proofer tray discharge mechanism the combination of a revoluble shaft, a sleeve .mounted revolubly upon the shaft, a holder mounted on the sleeve, means to discharge a tray into the holder, a cam mounted on the p revoluble shaft, a link mounted on the sleeve,

a reciprocatingroller arm, a roller mounted on the roller arm engaging the cam, and a pivot connecting the roller arm and the link.

9. In a. proofer tray discharge mechanism the combination of aprevoluble shaft, a sleeve vmounted revolubly upon the shaft,'a holder mounted on the sleeve, means to discharge a. tray into the holder, a cam mounted on the revoluble shaft, a link mountedon the sleeve, a reciprocating roller arm,y a roller mounted on the roller arm engaging the cam, a pivot connecting the roller arm and the link and a discharge belt disposed below the holder.

l0. In a proofer tray discharge mechanism the combination of a revoluble Shaft, a notched cam mounted on the shaft, a sleeve mounted revolubly upon the shaft, a holder mounted on the sleeve, means to discharge a tray into the holder, a plate mounted adjacent the forward end of the holder, the plate and holder being adapted to support lumps of dough discharged into the holder, a link mounted on the sleeve, a reciprocating roller arm engaging the cam, and a pivot connecting the roller arm and the link, the holderbeing adapted to discharge its contents when the roller registers with the notch in the cam.

ll. In a proofer tray discharge mechanism the combination of a revoluble shaft, a notched cam mounted on the shaft, a sleeve mounted revolubly upon the shaft, a holder mounted on the sleeve, means to discharge a tray into the holder, a plate mounted adjacent the forward end of the holder, the plate and holder being adapted to support lumps ot' dough discharged into the holder, a link mounted on the sleeve, a reciprocating roller arm engaging the cam, a pivot connecting the roller arm and the link, the holder being adapted to discharge its contents when the roller registers with the notch in the cam, and a. discharge belt disposed belovs7 the holder and the plate. s

12. A tray discharge device comprising trays having a series of lugs normally in horizontal alignment and a series of lugs normally in vertical alignment, a chain, pins extending from the chain and engaging the tray, a cam mounted adjacent the chain, means to mov-e the chain past the cam,

a tilting lug on the c am adapted to engage` the lowermostof the vertically aligned lugs on the tray, and to elevate such lug, an inverting lug on the cam adapted to engage the foremost of the horizontally aligned lugs on the tray when the rtilting lugl has raised the lug in engagement therewith, the inverting lug being adapted to vrestrain the lug on the tray in engagement with such inverting lug until the tray has been inverted, and a holder mounted adjacent the cam and into which the tray discharges. l

13. A tray discharge device comprising trays having a series of lugs normally in horizontal alignment and a series o't lugs normally in vertical alignment, chains, pins extending from the` chains and engaging the trays, a cam mounted adjacent a chain, means tomove the chains, a tilting lug on the cam adapted to engage the lowermost of the vertically aligned lugs on the tray, and to elevate such lug,"an inverting lug on the cam adapted to engage the foremost of the horizontally aligned lugs on the. tray when the tilting lug has raised the lug in engagement therewith, the inverting lug being adapted to restrain the lug on the tray in engagement with such inverting lug until the tray has been inverted, a. transverse shaft mounted adjacent the cam, a sleeve mounted on the shaft, upon which the'trays discharge, meansl to revolve the shaft, a notched cam on the shaft, a. reciprocating roller arm engaging the cam, a link extending from the sleeve, and pivotally engaging the roller arm, a holder mounted on the sleeve, the notched cam and the roller arm being adapted normally to retain the holder in a raised position, the tray being adapted to move a deposit of dough from the sleeve into the holder', and a discharge belt disposed below the holder.

14. In a tray discharge device the combination with trays and means `for inverting the trays for discharging the trays ot' an oscillatingy holder for receiving discharged articles from inverted trays, a conveyor below the holder, means for oscillating the holder and comprising a cam and a lever controlled by the cam 'and yconnected .with the holder, and means for moving trays over ythe holder and tor operating the cam.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 6th day of November 1925. SIGMUND SCHIFF. 

